JK Cong leader Dina Nath Bhagat dies

Jammu, Sep 8 (PTI) Senior Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader Dina Nath Bhagat died at a hospital in Punjab's Ludhiana early Monday after a brief illness, his family said. He was 79.

The former MLA from Chenani constituency is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

Bhagat's son Naresh, an advocate, said his father was unwell for the past 10 days and breathed his last in a hospital in Ludhiana around 3.30 am.

He was initially undergoing treatment at Government Medical College here for a lung infection and was later shifted to the hospital in Ludhiana for advanced treatment, he said.

Naresh said his father's last rites will be held at Devika in Udhampur later in the day.

Bhagat won the Chenani assembly seat on a BJP ticket in the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir elections. He resigned from the party in November 2020, accusing it of being "anti-Dalit".

After a brief stint with the National Panthers Party, he joined the Congress in January 2022.

J&K Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma expressed grief over Bhagat's death.

Bhagat was very active in politics and social life, Sharma said. PTI TAS DIV DIV